The Stats summary we are still working on, so I will post some of the msgs recieved while they were on the final leg across the Alantic and approaching Florida: Hello All - Good crossing. Mainly clear, some puffy clouds with bumps in them. Beautiful moon guiding us home. GPS is showing about 5 hours to go. In 45 miles we switch from NY radio to Miami and turn a little more northeast. Our biggest worry is the storm headed across Florida. From ground crew reports, looks like we'll make it in before the squall line, but there will still be rain, low ceiling and turbulence ahead of it. Our plan is to follow the route to Vero Beach; if weather is terrible, land at Ft. Pierce. If ok, continue and take a look at MCO. If good, land, if not head south and find another airport to land. We will have about 3 hours of fuel remaining at decision point. So, thank you all for ALL your support. The adventure is almost over; with a race to the finish with a storm. CarolAnn ============================================= We're over the Bahamas, one and a half hours out from Orlando International. The strong cold front is moving towards Orlando from the northwest. Looks like we'll get there first, but with clouds, turbulence and rain in the area. Hopefully not thunderstorms before we arrive. Carol is getting us on the BR65V radial to Freeport and enjoying the view of the Bahama Islands below and through the clouds. She's feeling great about about the trip but already thinking about her next one to Isle des Saints next February or March. Her butt hurts also!! Mine hurts too, but with such a short time remaining, I'm ok with it. I'm feeling the success of the 8 day trip that gave us good weather, mostly good winds, and great supporters everywhere. Thanks for joining along with us over the past week. The book will be out in February, so you'll be able to read ALL the details of what went on in the cockpit and on the ground. Being so busy during the flight, we gave you updates, but couldn't include all the details. Getting the cockpit ready for landing. Thank you all again. CarolAnn and Carol More summary stuff to come. Check out the new messages on the Guest Book! =====wes

The Team is on the Ground! What a triumphant arrival. Under low clouds and breezy conditions at Orlando International Airport, The team touched down at approx 08:55 EST (13:55 GMT) and rolled up to the customs building to a cheering crowd of supporters and media. Carol and CarolAnn climbed out of the well traveled Mooney, that actually looked no worse for wear than when they left here 7 days ago. The crew looks fantastic and are obviously "pumped" with the completion of the Dash trip. They are now doing press interviews and look forward to some place to wash the chamapne off and get some Real rest. We will do a stats update after the dust settles. ====wes

The race with the storm continues--- The Dash team sent the following messages, === The Atlantic. It's about midnight over the Atlantic and we are now more than half way home! Looking out, the almost full moon is illuminating the clouds, making it much easier to avoid them. We have been rigorously taking turns sleeping and being on duty each 2 hours. This system seems to be working well. Using the HF system, Carol just found out that family children and their friends have voted the "Dash for a Cure" the designated charity for the annual Christmas brunch held in the neighborhood. Won't you consider something similar? Soon, a note from Florida!---------------------------------------- Good crossing. Mainly clear, some puffy clouds with bumps in them. Beautiful moon guiding us home. GPS is showing about 5 hours to go. In 45 miles we switch from NY radio to Miami and turn a little more northeast. Our biggest worry is the storm headed across Florida. From ground crew reports, looks like we'll make it in before the squall line, but there will still be rain, low ceiling and turbulence ahead of it. Our plan is to follow the route to Vero Beach; if weather is terrible, land at Ft. Pierce. If ok, continue and take a look at MCO. If good, land, if not head south and find another airport to land. We will have about 3 hours of fuel remaining at decision point. So, thank you all for ALL your support. The adventure is almost over; with a race to the finish with a storm. CarolAnn =================================== With about 500 nm to go to reach Florida, the team presses on and hopes to beat the worst of the cold front weather to Orlando. Currently calculating an ETA in Orlando of 08:30 EST==========wes

OK, the race is on! It's a head-on race between a Mooney and a Florida cold front. The ground crew wants to get the team to land in Florida rather than some down-island layover. The strong cold front is oriented almost north-south and is currently forecast to cover the state by 18:00Z on Thurs. (1pm local time). The planning also needs to avoid challenging a tired crew with hard IFR flying and turbulent approaches to unfamiliar airports. The Dash crew is continuing to make good progress, picking up tailwinds and averaging 160 kts at 7000ft. They are currently 1800 nm away from Orlando and have flown almost one half the distance from Cape Verde to their destination. ETA calculations based on the current ground speed puts the team into Orlando at almost exactly the same time as significant cold front wx arrives. Too close for comfort! Stay Tuned for race results! ====wes

In-flight update from the Dash Team as they "sail" over the Atlantic at an altitude of 7000 ft and a ground speed of approx 145kts: === Cape Verde Islands, After a day of beige, it was nice to see some blue. The Cape Verde Islands, also quite beige and flat, greeted us with a marvelous facility and a number of curious staff to get us underway. Here, we actually had fuel out of a truck, although it still had to be hand pumped. The hose to fill the ferry tanks was too small for the nozzle, so a funnel was jury rigged to make it all work. The things you have to create to keep a program moving forward! We really would have liked to stay and sleep a few hours, but potential winds and weather coming to Florida made us press on. Now, over the Atlantic it is cool and smooth with some cloud layers to break up the blue. A leg with anticipated tailwinds will carry us home tomorrow! ==== The team is almost 1/3 of the way across and antipate an Orlando arrival between 9 and 11 am EST, again dependent of conditions due to the cold front passage. ====wes

They are headed home! With a fast turnaround, the team is back in the air headed west. They departed Sal International Airport, Cape Verde Islands, at 14:14 local time (15:14 GMT, 10:14 EST) into bright clear skys and gentle Atlantic breezes. The plan is to proceed northwest from Cape verde and then follow 20-25 deg North Latitude parallel to get maximum advantage of the easterly trade winds. The team will fly westbound chasing the sun, but will see the sun go over the horizon ahead of them at about 35 deg West longitude. They will fly on through the night pushed by the 20 to 25 knot winds and be approaching the Bahamas by sunrise. The distance to be flown to get to Orlando Florida, is approx. 3300 nm and with the expected tailwinds, the team should cover the distance in about 20 to 22 hours. As our sailing friends told us on this passage, "Fair winds and gentle seas (skys)" ====wes

Arrival at Cape Verde! Our intrepid Mooney pilots have completed Leg 8 of the Dash when they landed at Sal International Airport at 11:20 local time (12:20 GMT, 0720 EST) this morning. They are now staged for the longest leg of the Dash, 3300 nm over the open Atlantic ocean. With expected tailwinds of between 15 and 25 kts, they should be able to complete the last leg in approx 21 hours. At Cape Verde, the airplane will be topped to the brim with AVGAS and after a short rest and review of weather charts the team will depart for home. Current forecast weather for Florida arrival is a bit "iffy" with a strong cold front antipated to sweep over the Orlando area Thursday morning. The team is are on the 'home stretch' and getting excited!====wes

In-flight update with the team approaching Dakar, Senegal, West Africa---We received the following from the Dash crew:======= A long way over Africa: Here over the very western portion of Africa, it's dry and dusty. Looking out the window we see beige, with an occasional town, sprinkling of trees and dusty roads. Stops in Africa have been interesting, especially the refueling process. Fuel has come in 55 gallon drums on the back of a truck and must be hand cranked to get it into the airplane. Each fill up, at Salalah, Djibouti, and in Ouagadougou was accomplished by airport staff, even at 2am. We have had some drama! Headwinds over Africa had us continuously calculating our fuel endurance and because of lack of HF radio reception over most of this continent we weren't able to get any messages out. But, we can now, and we want to thank you for your good thoughts, wishes and donations as we wing our way home. CarolAnn and Carol=========== They are expecting to make Cape Verde (GVAC) by 12:30 GMT ( 07:30 EST and do as fast a turnaround as possible to continue on. A strong cold front is scheduled to cross Florida Thurs (11th) and the team would like to avoid the worst of that weather if possible. this would mean an early arrival Thursday or divert to a Caribean stop until the front passes. Stay tuned!====wes

They are off for Cape Verde! The team departed Ouagadougou Airport at 01:59 local time (01:59 GMT, 20:59 EST) after a very quick refueling and potty stop. Many thanks for the impromtu ground support at Ouagadougou airport!. The distance to Cape Verde (Leg 8) is approx 1270 nm and takes the crew across the countrys of Mali and Senegal, then out over the open Atlantic to Sal Island in Cape Verde. Weather forecasts for this leg show winds generally light, however not particularly favorable. No significant weather is predicted along the route and precipitation is well south of the intended ground track. We should get some in-flight updates from the crew enroute to Cape Verde. ====wes

The revised Leg 7 is complete! The team landed in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, at 00:34 local time (00:34 GMT, 19:34 EST). The time for the leg was recorded at 20 hrs 7 min. The weather looks good for continuing to Amílcar Cabral International Airport (GVAC) on Sal in Cape Verde Islands. This will be the jumping off point for the final leg of the Dash. Hopefully the crew will take a short rest there before the Atlantic crossing. Stand by for a departure update and the team pushing on to Cape Verde. ===wes

Almost like a running back in the game of American football, our team has decided to go for the extra yardage! It is nighttime over central Africa and the crew has reached the alternate, Niamey, Niger and is continuing on westward to the new destination, Ouagadougou Airport, Burkina Faso (DFFD). This country is the former "Republic of Upper Volta", a former French colony. Fortunately CarolAnn is fluent in French having studied and worked in France in the late 1980's. Estimated arrival time in Ouagadougou is approx 00:20 GMT. With a landing there, this leg will have covered approx. 2684 nm. Due to the contrary winds, there has been much discussion amongst the support crew and with the cockpit to maximize the western progress while taking into account the availability of avgas and landing permits at various airport in this part of Africa. The crew is hoping for a quick refuel at Ouagadougou Airport and continuing on to Sal in Cape Verde. The plan would be to get a fast sleep in Cape Verde and head off for the Caribean and Florida. The team will be briefed on the impending cold front sweeping across Florida on Thursday (Dec 11th) and a decision will be made on the best time to launch across the Atlantic.====wes

In-flight update on the Dash Leg 7 across Africa. The decision has been made to make the destination for this leg, Niamey in Niger. This decision was based on forecast winds as they have been recieved from the Universal Weather advisers. Niamey is approx. 2470nm miles from Djibouti, their takoff pont. Continuing on to Bamako, Mali would add another 600nm to the flight. The estimated arrival time in Niamey is 23:10 local time (23:10 GMT, 18:10 EST). The time on the ground in Niamey will depend on the availability of fuel handlers and the timing for the next leg which will most likely take them to Cape Verde Islands off the West African coast. Currently there is a conflict with a runway maintenance shutdown at the Cape Verde destination airport, so the team may get some more time on the ground to re-plan their final leg to Florida. Negotiations with the Cape Verde Airport Authority are currently underway to allow the team to land and refuel while the maintenance is in progress. Stand by for more updates. ====wes

The trek across Africa begins! Our refreshed team is in the air and headed west. They departed Djibouti International at 07:27 local time (04:27 GMT, 23:27 EST) on Leg 7 of the Dash for a Cure - World circling flight. Leg 7 will take the team across central Africa over Ethiopia, the Sudan, the Central African Rebulic, Camaroon, and on to Niger and Mali. Destination will depend on the winds they experience at altitude and hopefully could take them all the way to Bamako, Mali a distance of 3100 nm. We will get in-flight updates from the crew as they make westbound progress. Stay tuned! ===wes

This is an interim update on the planning for Leg 7 of the Dash that will take our team across the African continent. Currently our two lady pilots are (hopefully) still sleeping at the Sheriton hotel in Djibouti. They should awaken around 8pm EST and be getting their pre-flight briefings from the Universal Weather, Foxtrot support team prior to departing for the airport. There are some decisions to be made about routing for best winds and the timing of arrival at Sal, Cape Verde (GABS) due to a temporary runway closure there. We will update when the flight team gets ready to get back in the air.=====wes

Another continent "in-the-bag"! The team just landed at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport, Republic of Djibouti, East Africa. Arrival time was noted at 17:33 local time (14:33 GMT, 09:33 EST). The flight down the coast took 4 hours 16 min for the shortest leg so far. The flight must have seemed like short "jog around the pattern" compared to the other legs. The team plans to overnight here in Djibouti and get some 'real' R&R (rest and refresh). The next leg will be a long one over the continent of Africa and staging for the final "hop" over the Atlantic ocean. The crew will be studying weather charts and making final plans for the last two legs and an update should be available by later today.====wes

They are off for Africa! After a 4 hour stop in Salalah, Oman for gas, the team departed at 13:17 local time (09:17 GMT, 04:17 EST) bound for Djibouti. This run down the coast of the Arabian peninsula will be made in daylight. They will cross the Gulf of Aden and the mouth of the Red Sea to land at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport (HDAM). Forecast weather is very good for this leg with 8 to 15 kt tailwinds pushing them down the coast. ====wes

The Dash team has touched down in Arabia! The Mooney with our 2 courageous pilots landed at Salalah, Oman (OOSA) at 09:00 local time (05:00 GMT, 2400 EST). So Leg 5 of this incredible journey is finished, having flown almost 2700 nm in 20 hours for an avg speed of 135 knots. Minor headwinds and ATC deviations have made this leg a bit longer than planned, however the team plans to "gas-and-go" in order to reach Djibouti before dark. The run to Djibouti (Leg 6) is the shortest of the legs at 713nm and should be completed in under 5 hrs. Tail winds are forecast. This short leg is to position the team for the long run across the African continent landing in Bamako, Mali or Niger, West Africa, depending on conditions. ====wes

In-flight update on Leg 5 to Salalah, Oman. After lots of discussion and frequent wind profile updates, the crew sent the following report; =="Looks like we'll make it to OOSA. We've had headwinds the whole time, not the tailwinds forecast, but have leaned more aggressively to extend range.With the latest forecasts you have sent, we should make it to OOSA with 2 hours spare."==== This was a good report, since the alternative landing sites on this leg would make it very difficult to make up the time lost. The airplane and systems are doing well, and the team is looking forward to an overnite in Djibouti, to get some 'real' rest and prepare for the final "home run" across Africa and the Atlantic to Orlando Florida. ===wes

The following is an update received from the crew on their way to Oman. It covers the arrival/departure in Thailand:=========== Thailand - "Sahwaadee Ka!" - Hello! With the sun rising, N220FC was skimming over the clouds at 8,000', the engine humming along and the crew anticipating being once again on the ground. This would be the first foreign country for us, so anticipation was high even after 20:23 hours of flight. The weather was hazy, but with runway lights in sight, CarolAnn and Carol touched down at Chiang Mai International Airport. After paperwork, we were taken past planted medians, colorful paper hangings, open-air markets and through bustling traffic to a lovely hotel for a short snooze and an opportunity to clean up. Back at the airport after only 4 hours, time to work again. Aircraft maintenance, talking with ATC to ensure a proper flight plan, reviewing the winds and the weather, cabin cleanup and refueling was completed on the airport ramp with "the little one" parked at Station 14 between a Boeing 747 and an Airbus A330. As with all of the stops, the people that helped us here made the stop delightful. CarolAnn had several professional mechanics help her with maintenance and refueling of the airplane; while Carol had several escorts helping her to restock water and food and get some coffee. A crew from AirAsia.com came wandering over to chat while, Bo, the station manager for Nok Airlines, our coordinator and liaison, documented the event with many photos. We are about to depart Thailand, headed for the Saudi Arabian peninsula! Time to fly the next leg; we depart into a very hazy sky, flying to avoid the mountains to the west, which appear very much like the Smoky Mountains. Currently over the Bay of Bengal, flying at 7,000' the ride is smooth, the airliners are helping to relay position reports and it again is evening. Keeping On. This flight is proof of what you can do one day, one flight leg, one step, one mile, one dollar or one discovery at a time. Anything, any dream, any goal is accomplished with one small step at a time, and so it has been with this flight. So, please consider donating to the Dash to find a cure for ALS.========= wes

They're off on Leg 5! After a short rest (only 3 hours sleep) and completing the required maintenance items, the crew took off at approx 16:00 local time (09:00 GMT, 04:00 EST). They flew a southwesterly course out of Thailand and across Myanmar (Burma) and out over the Indian Ocean. In an HF message from the team at about 12:00Z, they were anticipating contrary winds for part of the leg to Oman. The difficulty with headwinds is the ATC requirement to maintain a minimum altitude (usually where the highest winds are) while crossing India territory. If the team were allowed to pick their altitude for the most favorable wind conditions, it would be much easier. This leg was planned at a nominal 19 hour enroute. If the encountered winds significantly increase that estimate, an alternate stop may be necessary (possibly Mumbai). A decision will be made by later today. Go Team! -----wes

Leg 4 of the Dash is complete! And what a gruelling flight it was. Over 2700 nm with weather and contrary winds, most of it flown in total darkness. The valient team landed at Chaing Mai International Airport(VTCC), in northern Thailand at 07:54 local time (00:54GMT, 19:54 EST). Destination weather didn't give the pilots a break. Reported conditions at landing were 1 mile visability in mist. The flight took approx 20.5 hrs to complete and I'm sure the crew is looking forward to some quality rest. Completion of Leg 4 puts the Dash team almost exactly half way round the earth and half of the way toward a record setting run. After doing required paperwork and securing the airplane, CarolAnn and Carol will be packed off to a hotel for some much deserved pampering. Chaing Mai is the major maintenance stop, so the aircraft oil will be changed and peroidic inspections on the airplane will be satisfied. When maintenance and fueling is completed, the team will take off on Leg 5 across Burma, India, and the Arabian Sea to Salalah, Oman, a distance of 2685 nm. Next update will include any reports from the crew and a departure for the middle east. ---wes

Recieved the following in-flight update a little after 4AM EST this morning---------Sorry for lack of updates yesterday. 23 hour flight, all went well, except lost charging for laptop. That resulted in no updates and no HF emails. We continued our critical emails through sat phone email. We received wx, winds and permit updates. We alternated 2hr shifts sleeping/resting and being flying pilot. Both stayed relatively well rested and felt ok for approach and landing. We had the Sony recorder on as we descended through and between the clouds and did a visual to runway 6R at Guam. We received a warm welcome (same as Hawaii, which we didn't document due to lack of PC), moved the Mooney into the hangar and were driven to the hotel. To stay on time for the permit countries, we opted for 4 hrs sleep, a quick snack, and back to the airport for fueling, TV interviews, and takeoff. The refueling is a story in itself as they hadn't received their normal shipments and had to refuel us from 55gal drums!! Pics and description in the upcoming book, coming out soon!! Nice departure over blue waters and around puffy little rain clouds. Enjoying a 14 knot tailwind at this point, our flight time could be shorter than the planned 19 hours. More later; thanks for all your support. BTW, the last permit came through yesterday while flying. Bo obtained the India permit number; we were ecstatic. I think we celebrated with macadamia nuts given to us in Lihue. Feeling GREAT, CarolAnn and Carol

Leg 4 is underway! Our refreshed crew took off from Guam International Airport in Agana, Guam at 14:31 local time (04:31GMT, 11:31 EST). Leg 4 will take them across the Northern Philippines, the South China Sea, Viet Nam, Laos, and on to their destination, Chaing Mai, Thailand, a distance of approx 2600 nm. Some moderate weather is expected on this leg, however the winds should be generally favorable to allow an arrival in Chaing Mai of 06:40 local time (23:40GMT, 18:40EST). The stop in Chaing Mai will allow the crew some 'down time' for airplane maintenance, crew maintenance, and hopefully a full 8 hours sleep. However it never seems to work that way, we'll see. If the laptop computer is back in operation, we may see some updates via HF data link. --- wes

Wow! What a run! Our team touched down in Guam just after the sun came up and after almost 23 hours of flying. Arrival time was 15:23 EST (06:23 local time in Guam, 20:23 GMT). I'm sure they are looking forward to some stretching and eventually some real rest! Plan is to sleep and refuel, get weather briefing for the next leg to Thailand. The overflight clearance was recieved for India today which completes the last regulatory hurdle to continuing the flight. The next leg is to Chaing Mai in northern Thailand, a distance of approx 2200 nm. Next update will be when the crew gets in the air westbound again. wes

An Interim update on Leg 3 to Guam. The tracking shows the team about 3/4 of the way to Guam with about 2500nm down about 720nm left to go. Cruising at 8000ft and averaging about 155 kt. Fuel comsupmtion is as planned and this should put them on the ground in Guam about 06:30 local time (20:30 GMT, 15:30 EST). wes

An in-flight update from CarolAnn on the way to Guam---- Our stop in Lihue, Hawaii was fantastic. There was a newspaper article the day before our arrival. Most donations were made on line, but they gave us three hundred dollars in additional donations to ALS-TDI. The bed rest was exactly what we needed. Roger drove two zombies who said next to nothing to the hotel and picked up two excited pilots the next morning. Roger coordinated everything and gave us lots of fruit for this leg. We had coffee in the morning, exactly what the doctor ordered. We've been underway for 4 hours now. The computer is still saying 19 hours to go; but we should pick up tailwinds as we head south and turn more westerly. After the first two legs, we're thinking seriously about stopping overnight in Djibouti and Cape Verde. That will change our overall schedule, but keep fatigue at bay. Will keep everyone advised. Thank you all for your support. CarolAnn and Carol

Our semi-rested team is in the air again, headed for Guam. They departed Lihue, HI around 11:25 HST (21:25 GMT, 16:25 EST) westbound on one of the longest legs of the trip, 3231 nautical miles. They will try some Sat phone and HF communication links during the 21 hour flight to Guam. wes

We have an update from the ground crew in Lihue: "They arrived safely at approximately 02:25 A.M. HST this morning at Lihue. Met by Airport Manager George Crabbe and Roger Cable ` AOPA ASN Representative with appropriate Hawaiian Lei Greeting. Both very tired, CarolAnn is still fighting a cold so they will delay departure until approximately 11:00 A.M. HST. Photos will follow later today. They are spending the night at the Hilton Resort as guests of the Kauai Visitors Bureau's Sue Kanoho." wes

Our intrepid duo have arrived in Hawaii! They landed at Lihue on the island of Kauai at 02:20 HST (07:20 EST /12:20 GMT) Our team will get some much needed rest after being in the air 33 of the last 35 hours. After about 6 hrs sleep, they gas up the plane and head off for Guam about 3200nm further west. We don't expect further contact until noon their time. wes

We have an update from our ground support crew at Brown Field in San diego: "CarolAnn and Carol Foy arrived Brown Field, San Diego at 10:02 AM PST This was 90 minutes behind schedule due to headwinds along the route. There were 4 broadcast and 1 print media on hand. They deplaned and gave about 20 minutes of Q&A, both were in a good mood and in high spirits. They refueled, serviced the cabin, and received the weather brief for the next leg from their local contact. They boarded the plane and took off on a slow climb over the ocean at 12:09 AM PST They anticipate arriving 1:35AM Hawaii time" Gary Stone, Calif

OK, they are off on Leg 2 to Hawaii. And we have a CORRECTION to the arrival time in San diego, it should have been 10:20 PST. We had a little East Coast/West Coast time mix up. The team gassed up the airplane and took a fast 1 hour and 40 minute break and departed for Lihue, HI around 12:08 PST. Winds look reasonable for the 15 hr run (at least not headwinds)and it should put the team into Lihue in the wee hours of Thurs morning. CarolAnn is still fighting the sniffles that she aquired a couple days before departure, but she is improving. wes

The following is some delayed reports from the crew on the way to Hawaii: Rcvd 4:04 am EST Enroute to Hawaii We just completed the fuel consumption calculations from San Diego to this point. We've used up the ferry tank and are running on mains. Total distance looks excellent for making the long legs to Guam, across Africa and across the Atlantic. We are both tired but ecstatic; this was the confirmation we were waiting for. Couple more hours and we'll be in bed. Don't think we're going to head out early, as we're both exhausted. More tomorrow, CA & CF =================================================== Rcvd 4:22 EST Over the Pacific, The western sky is turning flame red and it is reflecting on the top of the cowling. The Dash for a Cure crew is cruising at 6,000' and its smooth while they listen to airliners make position reports to San Francisco radio. We are well into the 2nd leg of the trip after stopping at Brown Field, San Diego, this morning. The flight from Orlando was long at 16:41 with severe headwinds that kept the pilots calculating their fuel reserves. The wind Gods are much more friendly on the Pacific leg, Cruising over a cloud layer, you wouldn't know there is ocean below, except that the pilots have donned their life vests, have locator beacons handy as well as the life raft. Once in Hawaii, we are looking forward to some rest and the opportunity to reflect on all of the help and support we have been given to accomplish this flight. CF & CA =============================================== wes

The team has landed at Brown field, San Diego. They arrived at 1:20pm PST after battling strong headwinds across the US Southwest. They are planning a short turn around for gas and refreshments, then back in the air bound for Lihue, HA. Weather looks good for the next leg. Wes